Patient handling device



Jan.. l?, H967 H, A. DANIELSON PATENT HANDLING DEVICE Filed Oct. 8, 1964 INVENTOR #f4/2,@ y M. WAN/a .s'o/v Jan. 17, 1967 H. A. 'DANIELSON PATIENT HANDLING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed OGL. 8, 1964 ANVENTOR.

2,@ y A WAN/zgan United States Patent fiiee 3,298',0'42 Patented Jan. 17, 1967 3,298,042 PATIENT HANDLING DEVICE Harry A. Danielson, Monterey Park, Calif. (2021 N. Central, Phoenix, Ariz. 85004) Filed Get. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 402,397 2 Claims. (Cl. 5-83) The present invention relates generally to the field of patient and invalid supporting devices, and more particularly to a :movable support that may be used to raise a patient from, or lower a patient onto a bed, hold a patient at any desired elevated position, transport him to and from an operating room, as Well as subject the supported patient to a rocking motion.

`In hospitals, sanitariums, homes for the elderly, and the like, one of the most difficult problems in the handling of patients is that of lifting them from a bed to a transporting device `andthen again lifting them off such device, without frightening thev patient. This type of handling is necessary when a patient is to be bathed, raised to a desired elevated position, transported to and from an operating room, or subjected to a rocking motion.

Many devices have been devised and marketed in the past to accomplish certain of the operations imentioned above, but the principal disadvantage of such previously available equipment is that they can usually be used for but a single specific purpose. In addition, they have been heavy, bulky, and `cumbersome to operate, and so expensive that theyr have been use-d only in those situations where there is no other alternative.

A major object of the present invention is to provide a basic power-operated unit that may be used to raise a patient from, or lower a patient onto a bed, and transport a patient to a desired location.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable, dependable support for a patient that is of relatively simple mechanical structure, requires little maintenance attention, is simple and easy to operate, and can be fabricated from readily available commercial materials, whereby it can be retailed at a sufficiently low price as to encourage its widespread use by hospitals, sanitariums, and the like These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a first and certain other forms thereof, and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a portion of a first patient handling apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional View of the apparatus shown in FIGURE l, taken on the line 2-2 thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2, with a portion thereof broken away to show the interior thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2, taken on the line 4-4 thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the movable support shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective View of the support shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the components shown in FIGURE 5, illustrated in an assembled position;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the first form of apparatus, taken on the line `8---8 of FIG- URE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the apparatus.

With continued reference to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2 thereof, for the general arrangement of a first form of apparatus A for use in raising and lowering a patient, it will be seen to include a centrally disposed housing 10 having two first legs 12 extending oppositely from the sides thereof. Two second legs 14 are provided that are removably attachable to the extremities of the first legs 12.

The housing 1) is defined by two end walls 16, a side 18 (FIGURE 2), and a side plate 20. The bottom 22 of housing 10 extends between the lower interior surfaces of the end walls 16. Two vertically disposed gibs 24 are mounted on the lower exterior surfaces of the end walls 16 and removably engage vertically disposed recesses 26 formed on the most adjacent ends of the first legs 12.

A transverse groove 28 is formed in each ile-g 12 Athat has upwardly and inwardly sloping side walls, and these grooves 28 are capable of slidably engaging tongues 30 4formed on first end portions of the second legs 14, as

shown in FIGURE 5. Vertically disposed openings 32 are formed in tongues 30 that are axially alignable with vertically extending tapped cavities 34 formed in the first legs 12 (FIGURE 5).

Each opening 32 is adapted to .receive a bolt 36 which projects downwardly therethrough to engage a tapped recess 34 and removably hold a second leg 14 in rigid engagement with a first leg 12, as shown in FIGURE l. To further assure that each first leg v12 will remain rigidly connected to `one of the second legs 14, each second leg has one or more longitudinally extending tapped recesses 37 `formed therein adjacent the tongue 30, and each recessis axially alignable with a bore formed in one of the legs 12 through which a bolt 38 extends to engage the tapped recess, as shown in FIGURE 5.

Each of the Ilegs 14 adjacent the groove 28 rotatably supports a conventional caster assembly 40 (FIGURE 5). The first end portions 42 of the legs 14 are solid, as can best be seen in FIGURE 6, and longitudinally extending bores (not shown) are formed therein through which bolts y44 can be extended to engage longitudinally aligned tapped recesses 46 formed in the gibs 24. The bolts 38 serve to removably hold the second legs 14 on the outer ends of thefirst legs 12. If desired, ea-ch set of first and second legs 1 2 and 14 can be formed as an integral unit. Likewise, each set of legs 12 and 14 can rbe connected to an end wall 16 by conventional means such .as welding or the like (not shown). V

Outwardlyfrorn the end portions 42 thereof, the second legs 14 develop into inverted channel-shaped sections 48, as can best be seen in FIGURE 8. At the rear extremity of section 48, each leg 14 pivotally supports a conventional caster assembly 50. A vertically disposed hydraulic cylinder 52 is positioned inside the lhousing 10, as shown in FIGURE 2. A piston 54 is slidably mounted in cylinder 52, which is rigidly connected to a piston rod S6 that extends upwardly from the cylinder 52. The upper end of piston 56 is rigidly connected to a horizontal support 58. Two vertically vpositioned guide rods 6) are welded or otherwise affixed to the end portions of the support 58, and are slidably movable in bearings 62 located in upper interior portions 64 of the end; walls 16.

A hand-operated pump 66 is mounted lwithin the housing 10 on the bot-tom 22. The pump 66 is .actuated |by reciprocal movement of a lever 68 that extends upwardly through an elongate slot 7G formed in the top 72 of the housing 10. VWhen the lever 68 is reciprocated, hydraulic fluid is discharged through a conduit 74 tothe lower interior portion of the cylinder 52. The suction of pump 66 is connected to a fiuidresrvoir 76 by'aiconduit 78; A valve (not shown) is disposed in the; interior ofpump 66, the opening and closing of which is controlled by a pivotally movable lever -that extends outwardly through a vertical slot 82 formed in one o-f the end walls 16.

When it is desired to move the support 58 downwardly relative to the housing 10` the lever 80, due to Weight imposed on the support, is manually moved to a rst `position where communication between conduits 74 and 78 is established and Huid flows from the cylinder 52 through conduits 74 and 78 to the reservoir 76. After the lever 80 has moved to a second position, communication ibetween the conduits 74 and 78 is obstructed and the support 52 will remain at the elevation in which it is disposed, for the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder 52 below piston 54 is unable t-o escape from the cylinder. Two engageable members 84 project upwardly from the suplport 58, as best seen in FIGURE 2, which may be used to engage and hold a patient support that does not form a part of :the present invention. The side plate is removably held on the forward faces of the end walls 16, [top 72 and lbottom 22 'by screws 86 that extend through openings formed in the side plate and engage tapped recesses (not shown) formed in the forward portion of the end walls, top and bottom.

A block 856 is rigidly secured to a support 58", as shown in FIGURE 9. A transverse shaft 858 is rotatably mounted in this block, which projects forwardly therefrom. A tubular member 860 is secured tov the forward end of shaft 858. Two oppositely extending. tubes 862 are rotatably supported in tubular member 860. Two legs 864 of square or rectangular cross section project forwardly from the ends lof tubes 862.

A rectangular frame 866 is provided-'that is dened by two elongate hollow end pieces 868 which slidably engage the legs 864. End pieces 686 are connected-by two side` pieces` 870. A patient transfer sheet 872 is provided. A number of tabs 874 extend from the sides and corners of transfer sheet 872 that may be removably engaged by holding members 876 mounted on the frame 866, as shown in FIGURE 9.

Two collars 878 are slidably mounted on tubes 862, with each collar having a claw 880 depending therefrom that can slidably engage an end portion ofthe support When the claws 880 are in engagement with support 58, the legs 864, frame 866, and transfer sheet 872 are held in a horizontal position. Stops are associated With the tubular member 864) that prevent downward rotation of the legs 864 below the horizontal.

The form U of the` invention is used by rolling the patientinto .a position adjacent the edge of the bed, and then placing rthe transfer sheet 872 on the bed. Thereafter, the patient is rolled` onto the transfer sheet. Frame 866 is then lowered to permit tabs 874 to be aflixed thereto, and the handle manipula-ted to raise the patent, transfer sheet 872 and frame 866 above the bed. The invention shown in FIGURE 9, with the transfer sheet 872 in a substantially horizo-ntal position, can then be used to transport the patient to a desired location. The frame 866, transfer sheet 872 and the patient on the sheet can be moved forwardly or rearwardly on the legs 864. After a desired loca-tion has been reached. This feature is of the utmost importance in handling patients who are in a serious condition and can only sustain a minimum of handling and movement. The stops previously mentioned can be pins 882 aixed to portions of the tubes 862 inside tubular member 860, and are movable'in yarcuate circumferentially extending slots 884 formed in the tubular member. When it is desired to return a patient to a bed, the operation just described is simply reversed.

Although the present invention is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that it is `merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments thereof, and I do not means to be limited to the details of construction herein shown and described, other than as `defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vertically'movable patient supporting device, including:

(a) ahousing;

(b) rst means for movably supporting said housing on a oor surface;

(c) a horizontal support disposed above said housing;

(d) power means, the major portion of which is in said housing for raising and lowering said support;

(e) a block mounted on said support;

(f) a horizontal shaft rotatably supported in said block and projecting therefrom;

(g) a tubular member -aixed to said shaft at substantially a right angle relative to said projecting end thereof;

(h) two longitudinally aligned tubes, the adjacent end portions of which are rotatably supported in said tubular member; v

(i) two parallel legs that project from the ends of said tubes in the same direction;

(j) a hollow rectangular frame slidably mounted on said legs;

(k) a transfer sheet;

(l) means for removably attaching said sheet to said frame when said sheet is disposed within the connes thereof;

(m) stop means for preventing said tubes, legs, frame, and transfer sheet from pivoting downwardly relative to said tubular member below a position lwhere said frame is substantially horizontally disposed; and

(n) holding means for removably maintaining said tubular member and shaft in a fixed position relative to said block, with said frame when said shaft and tubular member are so held being substantially horizontal, which frame and sheet are longitudinally movable on said legs when said stop means and holding means maintain said frame and sheet in a horizontal position, with said support, block, shaft, tubular member, tubes, legs, frame and sheet being vertically movable as a unit to a desired elevation when said power means are actuated.

2. A movable patient-supporting device, including:

(a) an elongate vertical housing;

(b) first means for movably supporting said housing on a floor surface;

(c) second horizontal tube means rotatably supported above said housing;

(d) -power means, the major portion of which is in said housing for raising and lowering said tube means;

(e) two parallel spaced legs that extend in the same direction from the ends of said tube means;

(f) a hollow rectangular frame defined by side pieces and end pieces, which end pieces are tubular and slidably engage said legs;

(g) a transfer sheet;

(h) third means for removably attaching said sheet to said frame when said sheet is disposed within the contines thereof; and

(i) stop means for preventing said legs, frame and sheet from pivoting below a position where said sheet is substantially horizontal, with said frame and sheet when so horizontally disposed being adapted to be raised and lowered, as well as moved horizontally, to `place a patient in a bed or remove a patient therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,255,462 9/l94l Cowles 5-86 X 2,416,410 2/1947 Shampaine 5-62 X 2,908,916 10/1959 Fischer et al. 5`86 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Examiner.

R. D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A VERTICALLY MOVABLE PATIENT SUPPORTING DEVICE, INCLUDING: (A) A HOUSING; (B) FIRST MEANS FOR MOVABLY SUPPORTING SAID HOUSING ON A FLOOR SURFACE; (C) A HORIZONTAL SUPPORT DISPOSED ABOVE SAID HOUSING; (D) POWER MEANS, THE MAJOR PORTION OF WHICH IS IN SAID HOUSING FOR RAISING AND LOWERING SAID SUPPORT; (E) A BLOCK MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT; (F) A HORIZONTAL SHAFT ROTATABLY SUPPORTED IN SAID BLOCK AND PROJECTING THEREFROM; (G) A TUBULAR MEMBER AFFIXED TO SAID SHAFT AT SUBTANTIALLY A RIGHT ANGLE RELATIVE TO SAID PROJECTING END THEREOF; (H) TWO LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED TUBES, THE ADJACENT END PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE ROTATABLY SUPPORTED IN SAID TUBULAR MEMBER; (I) TWO PARALLEL LEGS THAT PROJECT FROM THE ENDS OF SAID TUBES IN THE SAME DIRECTION; (J) A HOLLOW RECTANGULAR FRAME SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID LEGS; (K) A TRANSFER SHEET; 